8.6 Car parking

Car parking must be viewed as one component of the wider surface access strategy at Dublin Airport. Dublin Airport serves passengers from all parts of the Country and travel from many of these areas could be considered inconvenient by public transport. Alongside the large numbers of passengers and staff that are travelling to and from the Airport very early in the morning and late at night, the provision of public and sustainable transport options presents unique challenges. These practical considerations need to be balanced against the goal of supporting sustainable access to Dublin Airport.

Any provision of additional car parking requires a careful balance between meeting needs in order to accommodate future growth and undermining the economic viability of public transport routes servicing Dublin Airport. Dublin Airport has a well-established policy of supporting sustainable access to Dublin Airport which needs to work in conjunction with a sophisticated car parking strategy.

8.6.1 CAR PARKING FACILITIES

Car parking facilities comprise a mixture of short and long stay passenger car-parks and staff car-parks.

Short-Term Air Passenger Car Parks: Short-term car parking spaces are provided within the multi-storey car parks (MSCP) located near Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 and the surface short-term car park on land adjacent to the Coach Park. In total, there are around 3,400 short- term spaces available to passengers. Higher parking charges apply to the short-term car parks as compared to the long-term parking to encourage greater turnover of parking spaces. The provision of park and ride outside the DA zoning could be considered as part of an overall parking strategy.

Long-Term Air Passenger Car Parks: Long-term car parks are located along the R132 and R108 roads and are more remote from the terminal buildings. Passengers making use of these car parks are transferred via shuttle bus to and from the terminal buildings. The transfer times from these car parks vary depending on their location but all travel times are generally around 5-10 minutes. There are currently more than 25,000 long-term car parking spaces serving Dublin Airport.

Staff Car Parks: There are approximately 5,360 car parking spaces available to serve this demand. These car parking facilities are spread through Dublin Airport in the vicinity of the buildings they serve.

Car parking at Dublin Airport is well used, operating at or close to capacity at peak times.

8.6.2 CAR PARKING STRATEGY

Changes in the profile of air passengers over time may result in differential growth between the short and long stay parking markets. Demand forecasts developed by Dublin Airport operator will be fed into the car parking strategy, which will also consider aspects such as the sizing, spatial distribution and accessibility of car parks.

Future car parking needs may be met in three main ways:

maximizing the usage of existing car parking facilities;

physical reconfiguration of existing car parking facilities;

new provision to meet a specific parking need.

A significant increase in demand for short stay parking would require additional provision close to the terminals such that users can complete their activity within the minimum possible time. Over time it is expected that the space available for such uses in close proximity to the terminals will become limited. In such circumstances, conversion of existing surface car parks to multi-level parking structures will be required. Additional long stay provision can be implemented at more remote parts of the airfield, although transfer times to the terminals need to be carefully considered.

The implementation of MetroLink offers an opportunity for a step-change in public transport accessibility to Dublin Airport with implications for long term car parking requirements including the opportunity to facilitate use of MetroLink by air passengers and airport staff.

MAXIMIZING UTILIZATION OF EXISTING CAR PARK FACILITIES:

Car parking facilities may experience substantial fluctuations in demand by time of day, day of the week or by seasons.

There have been significant advances in parking management technology in recent years, allowing car parks to be utilized to their maximum potential; such systems should be considered at Dublin Airport.

CAR PARK CAPACITY ENHANCEMENTS IN THE SHORT TERM:

Specific targeted enhancements of the parking provision at Dublin Airport are planned by daa, predominantly on land to the east of the existing terminals. Specifically, new or expanded car parks are to be implemented east of the R132 corridor; adjacent to Dublin Airport Roundabout on Dublin Airport approach and south of the existing Red Long Term Car Park.

Any such increases in parking capacity need to be considered in terms of their cumulative impact on Dublin Airport road network.

CAR PARK CAPACITY ENHANCEMENTS IN THE MEDIUM TERM:

Car parking should be considered as part of Dublin Airport’s overall surface access offer. Over-provision of airport parking should be avoided to maintain a balanced system and to encourage sustainable choices.

AIRPORT STAFF CAR PARKING:

Airport staff comprises a significant portion of demand on Dublin Airport’s transport system, since, in most cases, such users likely to have a car available for their journey to/from their place of work.

Airport staff will be encouraged, as far as is possible, to use public transport to travel to/from their place of work through the use of travel plans.

Further non-core uses should only proceed in the context of a clear demonstration of the sustainability of the development with respect to transport network operation and should have regard to the need to ensure private vehicular trips attracted to the development do not adversely affect the road access capacity to Dublin Airport or the nearby sections of the strategic national road network.

CAR PARKING OBJECTIVES

OBJECTIVE CP1

Facilitate a review of the location of bus/coach parking in front of Terminal 1 in conjunction with an analysis of new MetroLink Station, Terminal 2, and Kerb proposals, in order to provide for an efficient multi-mode transport interchange convenient to all airport users.

OBJECTIVE CP2

Utilize existing car parking facilities in the most efficient way possible, including potentially though the use of (a) parking management systems (b) real time guidance information system and (c) variable message signs (VMS).

OBJECTIVE CP3

Provide for the development of short-term and long-term passenger car parking facilities in an appropriate, coherent and transparent manner, phased in accordance with Dublin Airport’s growth, and the transport infrastructural requirements of the South Fingal Transport Study.

OBJECTIVE CP4

Limit the growth of employee parking in order to improve public transport usage, particularly in locations near the centre of Dublin Airport campus where land can be more efficiently used for other purposes.

OBJECTIVE CP5

Provide for (a) good access from the external road network and (b) frequent shuttle connections to the terminal buildings, for long- term car parks and other strategic car parking facilities.

OBJECTIVE CP6

Provide for short-term car parks close to the terminal buildings so as to minimise passenger- walking distances.

OBJECTIVE CP7

Limit the provision of new car parking to serve non-core uses within the DA zoned lands, and to control the supply of car parking at Dublin Airport so as to a) maximise the use of public transport b) reduce traffic congestion and c) to secure the efficient use of land.